APHIS Removes the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine Area in Encinitas, San Diego County, California

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2018-32
September 10, 2018

Subject: APHIS Removes the Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine Area in Encinitas, San Diego County, California

To: State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

Effective August 20, 2018, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) removed the Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens, Mexfly) quarantine area in the Encinitas area of San Diego County, California.

On December 11, 2017, APHIS and CDFA established a Mexfly quarantine in a regulated area of Encinitas, California, restricting interstate movement of regulated articles from this area to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States. This action was necessary after CDFA and San Diego Agricultural Commissioner’s staff h trapped and confirmed five adult Mexfly between November 29, 2017 and December 11, 2017. Since that time, APHIS has worked cooperatively with the CDFA to eradicate the transient Mexfly population through various control actions per program protocols. APHIS removed the quarantine area after three Mexfly life-cycles elapsed with negative detections in this area. This removal of the quarantine is reflected on the following designated website, which contains a description of all the current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas:

                                               http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-health/ff-quarantine

For additional information on the Mexfly quarantine area, please contact National Fruit Fly Policy Manager John Stewart at 919-855-7426.

 

Osama El-Lissy
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine